"There’s never been a problem" - WWE Hall of Famer explains why CM Punk won't be punished by AEW for WWE RAW visit
Did you hear that CM Punk was backstage at WWE RAW last night? Over the past 24 hours, news of former two-time AEW Champion CM Punk showing up backstage at WWE RAW in Chicago has caught on like wildfire.
But if you ask a certain WWE Hall of Famer who's also currently employed by All Elite Wrestling, it's not that big of a deal.
On today's episode of Busted Open Radio, WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry broke down why CM Punk being backstage at RAW last night despite being under contract with All Elite Wrestling isn't a big deal.
“There’s never been a problem, even at AEW," Mark Henry began. "We have wives, husbands, best friends, business partners come into AEW world all the time. And most of the time, you never know they were there,” Mark Henry said. “You never know unless some damn glory hound in the back is like, ‘Oh, I want to get famous. Let me post his photo. Let me post this video.’ Or you work in the building, and you take a snapshot of a security photo, and you post it ala Ricky Starks at Royal Rumble."
Mark Henry further simplified the reason for Punk showing up at Allstate Arena last night, brushing it off as an overblown situation.
"This sh*t happens all the time. Why Punk? Because he’s polarizing. Because it will make big news. Punk has got friends at WWE that’s like brothers to him. You’re in his town in Chicago. You’re not going to come see me?"
WWE talent have heard what PWInsider reported -- that CM Punk was briefly backstage at WWE Raw in Chicago.
We are working on a report for FightfulSelect.com now. https://t.co/xWvVxUvu0M
Mark Henry believes CM Punk showing up at WWE RAW isn't a big deal
Mark Henry went on to tell a story about why this is no big deal, speaking on an experience he recently had with WWE after departing the company to join All Elite Wrestling.
The World's Strongest Man spoke about Vince McMahon calling him when WWE was in Houston and asking if he was going to stop by and "hug his neck."
“I was here at my house, hugging my daughter, watching Loud House. And my phone rings, and it’s Vince McMahon," Mark Henry recalled. "And Vince goes, ‘Hey, are you in Austin?’ And I go, yeah, and he goes, ‘You’re not going to come down to the arena and hug my neck? I’m here.’ Hey, man. I’ll be right down there. No problems, no stress. (...) Now, was he wanted there? Obviously not. But people are making it out like, oh, he went there looking for a job or — no. Everybody at AEW knows that it happens. And anybody that makes a big deal about it, then they’re going to have to change the policy for everybody.” [H/T: WrestleZone]
Warner Bros. Discovery has been told that CM Punk will be returning to #AEW and are “very much aware of the situation.”
- per @AndrewZarian (@WONF4W) https://t.co/TMa8yFLcj9
What do you make of Mark Henry's comments? Do you think CM Punk being backstage at WWE RAW last night was much ado about nothing? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.